Nonreturn check valve for brake systems connecting alpha plurality of engines



A ril 26 1927.

p c. R. wHlTAcRE NONRETURN CHECK VALVE FOR BRAKE SYSTEMS CONNCTING A PLURALI'l-IY 0F ENGINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 m C a ,mi O M fm NN V o www! w m ,fw MN QN md A 5 Sheets-Sheet`2 IKE , INVENToR. 11d Whacre.

ATTORNEY.

ril 26 1927.

p c. R. wHlTAcRl-z NNRETURN CHECK VALVE FOR BRAKE SYSTEMS CONNECTING A PLURALITY OF ENGINES AFiled may a. 14s-2e C. `aymo April 26, 1927.

C. R. WHITACRE NONRETURN CHECK VALVE Foa BRAKE SYSTEMS GONNBCTING A PLURALITY oF ENGINES Filed May 3. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Raymond Whit ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED S'IUBCTELSl PATENT OFFICE..

CHARLES RAYMOND WHITAcRnoF orNcINNA'rI, oi-iIo.

NON'RETURN` CHECK VALVE FOR BRAKE: CONNEOTNG A PLURALITY OE ENGINES.

Application filed May 3,

My invention relates to such check-valves for use on locomotives where two or more locomotives are coupled up in the same train, whether said locomotives are coupled together' or one at the iront and one at the rear ot the train, or otherwise.

The object ot my invention is to give any or all of the engine-men instant accessto control the setting of the bakes on the entire train for the purpose of stopping it in case of an accident orother emergency.

Another object oll my invention is to dispense with the necessity of cutting in the stop-cock, which is lo :ated in an inconvenient position, and to provide easily accessible meansv Jfor instantly applying the bra-lies in case ot any accident requiring the stopping ot' the train by any engine-man.

ln the present system ot railway practice where two or more engines are coupled in a train, when any trouble arises in any locomotive, eiicept the head locomotive, so that it becomes necessary for any of the enginen'ien, except the head engine-man, to apply the emergency brakes, it is lirst necessary for such engine-man to apply the automatic brake-valve in emergency position and then reach down to a very low and inconvenient position to turn the stop-cock to open position. This requires considerable time, during which the train might advance to a dangerous point, such as running oit ci the derailer, or in case oli' a broken rod on the second or other locomotive, or in case oi' a burst flue in any engine, which would instantly blow the lire out of the box, so that there vwould not be time tor the engine-man on such engine to malte these adjustments and then make his escape, or in case oi" an accident to the train discovered by any engine-man, hel can immediately apply the brakes by placing the brake-valve in emerge cy position, without having to -ext reach down to an inconvenientposition to open the stop-cock inthe train line.

The present system requires too much time toA apply the brakes and avoid apossible accident. y

My invention consists in providing, in

`combination with the usual stop-cock, a nonreturn by-pass or check-valve locatedin the brake pipe between the automatic brakevalve and the main brake pipe.

My invention further consists in the constrnction, combination, location and arrange- 1926. Serial No. 106,400.

ment of parts and in the details of construction, as herein set forth and claimed.

ln the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical section showing^ the automatic-airbrake-system coupling two engines, thc brake-valve on the first engine being set for running position, while the brake-valve on the second engine is shown in the emergency position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view, showingl the top of the automatic-brake-valve and the position otl the brake-valvc-liandle when theI valve is set in running position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. Q showing the position of the brake-valve handle when the auton'iatic-brake valve is set in emergency position;

Fig. et is a view in elevation showing the position ot' the non-return check-valvehandle when said valve is set in open position, indicated on the head-engine in Fig. l; p Y

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 when said valve is set in closed position', as indicated on the second-engine in Fig. la

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the nonreturn check-valve in vertical section and in open or service position, with the non-return icy-pass thereof in closed position, and its relation to the automaticbrains-valveand brake-pipe, the latter of which is broken for lack of space; I

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, except that the antomatic-brake-valve is shown in dotted lines and the non-return-checkfvalije is shown in closed position, while the nonreturn by-pass is shown in open position;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged central vertical section ot the non-return check valve partly in elevation and shown in open positiomalso showing tl'ie'non-rcturn by-pass and check valve in closed position; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showingv the valve in closed position and the nonreturn by-pass and check valve in opened position. l

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated. and which sho-ws a preferred construction, I provide two usual and` wellknown automatic-bralze-valves l. and 2 of the rotary type, for illustrative purposes located incabs 3 and 4 of engines 5 and 6, respectively. `Brake-pipes 7 `and 8, respectively, are joined to the bottoms offsaid valves l lon and 2, respectively, `by nuts 9 and 10 and lead to main-brake-pipe or train-line 11. Non-return check-valves 12 and 13 are inserted in brakepipes 7 and 8, respectively, and preferably near said brake-valves 1 and 2. As both of thenon-return check-valves 12 and 13 are alike in construction, the description oit' one will suhice for both. Valve 12-13 comprises body portion 14, which is provided with transverse tapered opening l extending from end 16 to end 17 of said body-porton. Tapered tubular bushing 18 is received by said opening and, in turn', receives cylindrical tapered valveeplug 19. Said plug 19 is provided with inain passageway 19"', nonreturn bypass opening 19b and exhaust opening 19C. Main-passage 19 and exhaust opening 19? are disposed at right angles or transversely from by-pass opening 19". It will, therefore, be seen (Figs. 8 and 9) that when main passage-Way 19a aligns with vertical openings 29 and exhaust passage 19c aligns With exhaust outlet 31, bypass opening 19" will he shut ottl from passages 32 and 33. Passage 33 leads from hole 183L in tapered bushing 18 to vertical opening 29 and has nonret1irn by-pass valve 34 inserted therein which comprises brassbushing and seat 35`inserted` in opening 33 and upon which valve 36 seats as shown in Fig. 8). Valve stern 37 and valve guide 38 are integral with said valve 3G. Said valve guide is slidably received Within `bushing and seat 35 and the upper end oi' valve stein 37 is slidably received Within recess 39 in closure cap 40. Coil spring 4l encircles valve stem 37, one end of Which bears against the top ot' valve 36 and the other end received by socket 42 in said closure cap 40. Coupling 43 connects exhaust pipe 44 with valve 2. The other end of said exhaust pipe is connected by coupling 45 to brake pipe exhaust (not shown) of automatic brake valves 1 and 2. The reduced end oi. said plug receives manually operated hand lever 2O which yis rigidly attached thereto by ta ered pin 21 and ivhicli has key-Way 22 adapted to fit over key 23 integral with said plug 19. The end 16 of tapered opening 15 is provided With internal threads 24. Closure cap 25 has en` ternally threaded shank 26 and centrally located recess 27 which receives coil spring 28. Said cap is screwed into said internally threaded end 1G and maintains a tight fit of tapered tubular bushing 18 Within tapered opening 15. Coil spring 28 bears against the large end ot cylindrical tapered valve plug 19 for the purposeof maintaining a receive the threaded ends of brake pipes 7 and 8, respectively.

The operation ot my device is as follows:

le will assume that head engine 5, shown in Fig. l, has handle 1n o't automatic brakevalve 1 set 'or running position and that opening 19aL of non-return-check-valve 12 is inlopen position, as shown in Figs. ti and 8, and that handle 2 oi automatic-brakevalve 2 is in the saine position as handle 1, shown in Fig. 2 and head engine in Fig. 1, and opening 19ZL ot nonreturneheckvalve 13 is closed, as shown in Figs. T and 9, the man in the head engine, under this condition, would be in At'ull control ot the brakes on the head-engine and on the second engine, as well as throughout the entire train. However, should the operative mechanism under the control ot' the tirs-t engineman become disabled, or should an accident occur which he 'tailed to observe, or should it bccoine necessary, for any reason, to stop the train in case oi:l an emergency which the first engine man failed to observe, the ser ond engine man can set the brakes on the iirst engine and on the second engine, as well as throughout the entire train by placing the automatic brake valve handle 2 in the einergency position (as shown in Fig. 3) which Will open the train-line to the atmosphere or in other Words, reduce the air pressure in the trainline faster than the head enginemans compressors can supply it into the train-line.

Should the air compressing apparatus of any engine in the train become disabled and cause the compressed air to become exhausted in said engine, the non-return checkvalve, if not in closed position should be adjusted to that position whereby the coinpressed air could be supplied to said engine by any ot' said other engines by pumping it through the non-return check-valve 12 or 13, as the case may be, of said disabled en gine. This Would supply such engine with means of power reverse, air Sanders, air bell ringer, and supply air for the distributing valve so that such engine could perform all of its usual functions, including the throwing ot' the brakes into emergency position and none of this could be done Without the use of my non-return check-valve.

An advantage of my invention is that in case the brake-pipe connection between the nonreturn check-valve and the automatic brake-valve is broken on the road, all that is necessary to enable the head engine-man to control the brakes of the train from his engine, with the exception of the disabled engine, is to close valve 13 of' the second engine and insert a block of Wood, waste, or any article in recess 39 in cap 40, which thereby holds valve-stem 37 and valve 3G on its seat 35, thereby preventing the air from passing through by-passland discharging through the broken pipe. This arrangement would serve as a temporary expedient until the train is drawn into the terminal.

lhile ,I have shown and described a particular construction, it Will be apparent that my invention is capable of some modification Without departing from the scope or spirit thereof as defined in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In means ot' the character described, braking apparatus, an air brake pipe communicating therewith, an automatic brakevalve connected to said brake-pipe, a check valve interposed in said brake pipe, in coinbination With a non-return by-pass.

2. In means ot' the character described, a non-return check valve having a `main opening therein, a brake-pipe leading into and trom said opening, a tapered valve plugl adapted to close and open said main opening and having a hole therein with passage- Ways in said valve connecting with said main opening, said hole in said plug being adapted to be turned into and out of alignment with said passagewivays and a non-return by-pass valve inserted in one ot said passage- Ways.

3. In means of the character described, braking apparatus, a main air brak-e pipe communicating with said braking apparatus, an automatic brake valve for each engin-e, a brake pipe communicating from said main brake pipe to each automatic brake valve, and a non-return check valve interposed between each automatic brake-valve and said main brake valve comprising a valve body having a central vertical opening therethrough, the outer ends oi' which are internally threaded to receive the ends of brake pipe and said body having` a. horizontal tapered opening intersecting said vertical opening, a taper-ed bushing in said horizontal opening, a tapered plug in said bushing, a. hand lever on the reduced end ot said plug and having an opening therethrough adapted to register with said vertical open` im;l and having a reduced opening thereon parallel with said opening and adapted to aline with said vertical reduced openings in said Check-valve or be closed therewith` according to the position of said hand levier and said plug having a transversely disposed hole in its large end with passage- Ways through said body connecting said hole with said vertical opening and means inserted in said passage-way whereby the How ot air can go in one direction only, substantially as set forth.

4. In means of the character described, a non-return check-valve body having a main opening therein, a brake pipe leading into and from said opening, a valve plug` adapted to close and open said main opening, said plug having a hole, said valve body having passageavays connecting said hole with said main opening, said plug being adapted to be turned to bring said hole into and out of alignment with said passage-Ways, and a non-return automatic by-pass valve inserted in one of said passage-Ways.

C. RAYMOND WHITACRE 

